The Importance of Having a Daily Spiritual Routine
Updated: May 23, 2020
There's a new moon today in the sign of Gemini. For those of us who are spiritual but not religious we are flooded every month with information about two out of the eight phases of the moon; the new moon and the full moon. Being in tune with cosmic bodies are a great way to get in touch with the natural cycles of the universe but there is a trend I've observed with people who place a lot of emphasis on the new and full moon phases. For many of them it is the only time of the month when they focus on their intentions and spiritual practices. The rest of the days of the month are spent rather haphazardly with no real structure when it comes to focusing on the intentions that are set during the new and full moons. I have seen a lot of people express frustration because their spells or law of attraction practices didn't work as well as they expected and it was always because they approached them with a one and done mentality.
If you want to get the most out of your moon, solstice, equinox, etc. rituals it is best that you establish a daily spiritual routine. For the best results spirituality should be approached just like any other self care ritual such as bathing, brushing your teeth, or exercising. You wouldn't dare go days without brushing your teeth (I hope) and expect to have fresh breath and a healthy mouth, so why would you expect to have optimum outcomes from your spiritual work if you're only dedicating a two days a month towards your spiritual practice? Just as exercise strengthens your physical muscles, a daily spiritual routine strengthens your manifestation muscles. The more you do it, the stronger and faster your abilities become.
In this blog post I am going to talk about four things we all should be practicing every day to get the most out of our magic. No matter what path you follow, these four behaviors done daily will help you to tap into the stream of universal consciousness faster than ever.
Gratitude
"Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High" - Psalm 50:14
When I am advising my clients on how they can best bring about the changes that they want to see in their lives I suggest that they begin their day by making a list of things that they are thankful for. Before checking emails, logging on to social media, or watching the morning news, you should be preparing the mind to focus on the things that bring you joy, peace, contentment, and comfort.
Research has shown that gratitude stimulates two parts of the brain that are important in regulating our moods; the hypothalamus, which regulates stress and the ventral tegmental area, which plays a huge role in the brain's reward system that brings about feelings of pleasure. Studies have also shown that people who write down the things that they're grateful for receive tangible benefits as a result such as increased optimism and better health. When you focus on the things that you are thankful for you create a current of energy that brings you even more things to give thanks for.
Meditation
"When meditation is mastered, the mind is unwavering like the flame of a candle in a windless place." - Bhagavad Gita
Meditation is an essential part of getting to know yourself and a necessary tool for your spiritual growth. In the Tibetian language the word for meditate is "Gom" which translates as "to become familiar with". In the Sanskrit language the word for meditate is "Dhayi" which translates as "to contemplate". The English word "Meditate" comes from the Latin word "Meditation" which means "to think, contemplate, devise, or ponder" As you can see from these definitions of the word, meditation is a way for you to go inside, get to know yourself better, and to contemplate the condition of your life.
Brain scans have shown that daily meditation has the ability to shrink the amygdala, which is the fight or flight center of the brain. As the amygdala shrinks, the pre-frontal cortex grows, which is the part of the brain associated with higher functions such as awareness, concentration, and decision making. Meditation changes the brain for the better and the healthier the brain, the easier it'll be for you to focus on the things you need to do in order to manifest the things you desire. Which brings me to the next essential daily practice.
Functional MRI (left) showing activation in the amygdala when participants were watching images with emotional content before learning meditation. After eight weeks of training in mindful attention meditation (right) note the amygdala is less activated after the meditation training.
Courtesy of Gaelle Desbordes
Visualization
“All that we are is the result of what we have thought.” – Buddha
We have heard people say for the longest time "if you see it, you can believe it". It's repeated so much that for some it has become a cliche but in that one simple phrase lies one of the fundamental truths of the universe; that observation creates reality. I could do a blog of just examples of people whose thoughts have materialized into real life situations for better and for worse but here is one that has stood out to me most recently:
Notice how Megan Thee Stallion talks about how her mother made her watch a lot of Beyoncé videos. Then two years into her career she gets to meet Beyoncé and do a song with her. I also saw her say on interviews that whenever people asked her what artist she wanted to work with her first answer was always Beyoncé. The powerful emotions along with her constant observation led to her fulfilling a lifelong dream. Whether it's a new home, a better job, overcoming sickness, or collaborating with your favorite artists, daily visualization will help you get the results you desire.
Studies have shown that when doing visualizations the same areas of the brain are activated as though you are actually physically engaging in the same activity. Doing work in the real world is absolutely a must but visualization gives you an added boost to your endeavors that can help you to yield results faster.
Pray for Others
"Rich is the person who has a praying friend." - Janice Hughes
Every other technique I recommended focuses on uplifting yourself but very seldom does anyone suggest intercessory prayer as a form of self care. You know how people say that when you do good deeds they come back to you multiplied? Well the same goes for good thoughts also. Praying for others daily reminds you that no matter what obstacles you are faced with, there is always someone who could use a helping hand from you. That helping hand does not necessarily need to be physical.
Selflessness in the form of prayer creates a current of positive energy that reverberates through the fabric of reality. Uplifting the people you love and care about is one of the most noble deeds you can do and as a result you raise your own vibrations. There's a study where people were randomly assigned to pray for other people they did not know. The prayers and the people who were prayed for both saw vast improvements in the measurements of the study.
Now that you know the four practices you should incorporate into your daily spiritual routine you can come up with methods specific to your needs and cognitive talents. Watching videos, guided meditations, gratitude journals, vision boards, candles, spiritual baths, or any plethora of tools and activities can be utilized to help you become more centered, focused, peaceful, and magnetic. In the coming weeks I'll be sharing some of the things that I do on a daily basis with the hope that it will inspire you to blaze your own path on the road to manifesting a more fulfilling life. Leave a comment below and share some of the spiritual practices that help you from day to day.